As many people across the world contemplate what to gift their friends and loved ones, I thought it would be an appropriate time to suggest some presents for the readers in your life.
Books – of course!
If you’re not a reader yourself, however, it can be very hard to buy for your bookish friends. Even if you are a reader, your tastes may not match theirs! I’d recommend a quick squiz at their socials – sometimes people have their Amazon wishlist in their biography and you can use that to surprise them with something they’ll definitely want. Assuming they haven’t helpfully made a wishlist public, their socials may give you something to work with in terms of their tastes and preferred genres.
Books with sprayed edges
If your friend is into books that look pretty, sprayed edges might be the way to go. This means, even if you happen to get them a duplicate title they already have, the aesthetics will speak for themselves.
When I was at YALC, I caught up with the amazing creatives at Kingdom Book Designs and Perfectly Edged. The work that goes into making these custom designs was phenomenal. I also bought a gorgeous copy of a book from Victoria Alyssa – I can’t even begin to describe how pretty her work is.
Book-related accessories
These don’t need to be as obvious as bookmarks (though bookmarks do tend to be a good shout and you can get some gorgeous custom bookmarks on Etsy). It could be something that makes reading more comfortable – like a heated blanket to snuggle up in or a cushion to cuddle up with.
If you know your friend has a favourite series, could you get them some related merchandise? Perhaps a T-shirt or hoodie with their favourite fictional character. Or maybe a keyring or customised water bottle. Check out the author’s website and see if they have a shop integrated into their website – you might be surprised what’s available.
If all else fails…
Venom and Blaze is available to order now. It’s the perfect gift for the dark and twisted reader in your life. (Just be sure to check the trigger warnings before gifting it to your friend – it’s not suitable for arachnophobes and contains violence, childhood trauma and death.)
Whatever you plan to get your friends, let me know in the comments.